Improvement in file-cleaners



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM T. NICHOLSON, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR TO THE NICHOLSON FILE COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

. IMPROVEMENT IN FILE-CLEANERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 200,218, dated February 12, 1878; application filed December 6, 1877.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM T. NIoHoL- SON, of the city and county of Providence, in the State of Rhode Island, have invented a certain new and useful File-Cleaner; and I do hereby declare that the following specification, taken in connection with the drawings furnished and forming a part thereof, is a clear, true, and complete description of my invention.

It is well known that files have for many years been cleaned with wire brushes and with bristle brushes of difierent kinds; but, so far as my knowledge extends, no brush or cleaner was ever heretofore constructed combining in one the useful characteristics of both classes of brushes.

The wire brush will obviously perform a service not possible with a bristle brush, and the bristle brush may be relied upon for a service not possible with the wire brush, as is well known to persons accustomed to the use of files.

Throughout my long and extensive experience, both in the manufacture of files as well as in their practical use, I have realized the desirability of a complex brush especially adapted for file-cleaning, and in my present invention I am assured that I have supplied a widely-acknowledged requirement.

My invention consists, mainly, in a filecleaner provided with a bristle-clad surface on one side, a wire-toothed surface on the other side, a scoring-awl, and a convenient handle.

It further consists in a file -cleaner provided with a scoring-awl, which is housed and secured by a spring in the body of the cleaner, for affording a convenient and ready means, whereby on occasion such scores or cuts in a file as cannot be opened by the cleanerbrushes may be thoroughly plowed or scored.

To more particularly describe my invention, I will refer to the accompanying drawings, in Which- Figure 1 is a top view, and Fig. 2 a side view, of one of my novel file-cleaners. Fig. 3 is a view of a scoring-awl detached.

The body A is preferably composed of heavy well-seasoned wood, and at one end a handle is formed, as shown, and this is provided with a recess at a for the reception of the scoring-awl b, which is provided with a sharp flat edge at one end and an eye at the other, which, when in its recess, is coincident with an eye in'the handle of the cleaner, so that it may be hung on a nail when not in use.

A spring at c, on the base of the handle, bears upon the scoring-awl when in its recess, and secures it therein. The top side of the awl, when in its recess, is flush with the adjacent surface of the cleaner-handle, and is therefore not liable to be displaced while the cleaner is being used.

On one side of the cleaner are wire teeth, as at (I. These are preferably set in leather, after the manner of card clothing; and, in fact, this latter article may be used for the purpose, its value in this connection being well known. This sheet of leather, with wire teeth, is secured to the cleaner by means of two longitudinal shoulders, as at 0, between which the leather is entered, and the two ends are compressed beneath end plates at f, having suitable screws.

This method of mounting the wire teeth admits of their ready removal and the ready substitution of a new set, when required.

The rear end plate f and spring 0 for holding the awl may be composed of a single piece of sheet metal.

The other side of the cleaner is clad with short stiff bristles, as at g, which are bunched and occupy holes in the body of the cleaner, after the usual manner of making brushes.

The cleaner thus constructed constitutes a novel, convenient, and useful device, and one which is universally accepted as a valuable addition to a machinists outfit.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by these Letters Patent 1. A file-cleaner composed of a bristle brush upon one side, a wire-tooth brush upon the other face, and provided with a scoring-awl, substantially as described.

2. A file-cleaner brush provided. with a recessed handle for holding a scoring-awl and a spring for confining the awl in the recess, 'substantiallyas described.

WM. T. NICHOLSON.

Witnesses:

J. KNIGHT, THOMAS F. COSGROVE. 

